The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to push toys, and more particularly to a wheeled push toy having colored spheres actuated through a conduit on movement thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For toddlers, wheeled push toys with a handle resembling lawn mowers have provided a source of amusement for decades, particularly the types of push toys which have some form of motion or animation connected therewith.
One such early toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 480,619, issued to Park on Aug. 9, 1892, such patent being entitled "Toy" and disclosing a wheeled push toy having a wheel with an annular channel formed in a side thereof for captively retaining a plurality of ball members which rotate within the channel upon movement of the toy.
U.S. Pat. No. 906,471 is directed to another such toy, and is entitled "Wheeled Toy", such patent being issued to Townsend on Dec. 8, 1908, the toy including a pair of wheels on an axle with projecting crank pins on the axle actuating spring members upon movement of the toy, thus propelling captively retained balls along a wire extending through the balls.
Another such toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,543,143, entitled "Toy", issued to Woznuck, on June 23, 1925, the toy being a wheeled push toy having one wheel thereof toothed to coact with the extending post ends of a rotary cage mounted for rotation in response to movement of the toy on a surface.
Another such wheeled push toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,577,321, issued Oct. 13, 1925, to Parke, for a "Toy", such toy being a wheeled push toy having reciprocatory ball members manipulated on movement of the toy.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,736,176, entitled "Toy", issued to Shepherd on Nov. 19, 1929, such patent disclosing a wheeled toy having a runway for marbles or other rolling elements with a first terminal end of the runway being at a higher elevation than the other terminal end, which coacts with an element responsive to movement of the wheels for carrying a marble from the lower to the higher elevation for thereafter rolling under the force of gravity to the lower end.
Another wheeled push toy resembling a lawnmower is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,352,676, issued to Gainsley on July 4, 1944, such patent being entitled "Toy", and having a pair of wheels on an open framework rotary cage with balls therein moving around in response to pushing of the toy.
Another such wheeled push toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,377,104, issued May 29, 1945, to Rapaport for a "Toy", the patent disclosing a lawnmower like toy with a rotary cage including angularly disposed rods having washer-shaped members thereon slidable on the rods during movement of the toy.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,331, was issued to Biggs, on Sept. 5, 1950, and is entitled "Marble Cage Push Toy", the patent disclosing a cage formed of two wheels with angularly disposed transparent tubes therebetween with marbles therein movable under the force of gravity during movement of the toy. The tubular path may be a separate unit or may be formed with part of the path within the wheel members.
Another push toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,385, entitled "Beehive Push Toy", issued Aug. 11, 1970 to Noble, the toy having inner and outer spaced beeehive members with a helical surface configuration and a generally central vertical tubular member. Balls are elevated through the tubular member by a wheel actuated plunger providing an upward force, whereupon the balls descend between the surfaces from the top by the helical configuration.
Another such push toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. D. 167,975, issued to Fisher et al on Oct. 21, 1952, for a "Trundle Toy", the toy being in a form resembling a lawnmower with graphic depictions on the rotary surface thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved push toy.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved push toy having the handle thereof configured for passage therethrough of rolling objects such as spheres.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved push toy having a transparent tubular handle with colored spheres therein with a wheel actuated impeller elevating the string of spheres during movement of the toy along a surface.